Tamil Nadu's Deputy Chief Minister, Udhayanidhi Stalin, has launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally, the AIADMK. He accused the BJP of orchestrating a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as a deliberate strategy to delete votes belonging to supporters of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).
SIR Exercise: A 'Shortcut' to Target DMK Voters
Addressing a Christmas event in Chennai on the night of December 21, Udhayanidhi Stalin labelled the SIR drive a "shortcut" exercise. He alleged that the revision, conducted via the Election Commission, specifically targeted minorities, women, and marginalised communities who he claimed increasingly support the DMK.
"Such votes did not go to the BJP despite their efforts. Hence, the SIR exercise was devised to search and delete votes of such people," he stated. The minister raised an alarm, claiming that approximately 97 lakh names had been removed from rolls across Tamil Nadu, with about 14 lakh deletions in Chennai alone.
He credited his father and Chief Minister, M K Stalin, for being the first to highlight the impact of this exercise. Urging the public to act, Udhayanidhi said, "Vote is our right, voting is not only a duty. Please check if your names figure in the electoral rolls." He informed that DMK booth-level agents would assist people in submitting correction forms before the January 18 deadline.
Mocking the AIADMK-BJP Alliance
In a scathing remark, Udhayanidhi Stalin mocked the AIADMK for its political partnership with the BJP, suggesting the party had lost its identity. He said the AIADMK had "completely surrendered" to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and had effectively become the "Amit Shah Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam."
He directly challenged AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami's assurance that the alliance would still protect minorities. "Please save your party first from the BJP," Udhayanidhi retorted.
Reiterating Stance on NEP and Hindi Imposition
The Deputy CM also reiterated the DMK government's firm opposition to the Centre's New Education Policy (NEP). He alleged that the BJP-led government was once again attempting to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu. He asserted that the state, under CM Stalin's leadership, would reject the policy unequivocally, even if it meant forgoing a potential Rs 10,000-crore payout from the Union government.
Referring to Amit Shah's recent comments after the BJP's victory in Bihar, where Tamil Nadu was identified as a next target, Udhayanidhi issued a defiant message. "Tamil Nadu people and the followers of Kalaignar will never be afraid; you may win in northern states, but your tactics will not succeed in Tamil Nadu," he declared.
